...shares a story.

Every traveler has a home of his own and he learns to appreciate it the more from his wandering. –Charles Dickens

Last November Sean took an application to the high school to find a student eligible to apply for an opportunity to visit the United States. In April, Phenduliwe Ndlangamandla, a 19 year old Form 4 student at Ka-Langa High School, attended the 3 week Pan African Leadership Program in the United States. She spent time in Washington D.C., Chicago, and Indiana with students from all across Africa. It was Phenduliwe's first experience out of Swaziland. The following is a summary of her experience.

My trip to America was great, with funny and shocking experiences. The first experience was cold. America is very cold, whether the sun is in the sky or not. One of the good days in Muncie, Indiana I was on my way to Ballstate University where we usually had our classes. The sun was in the sky but the wind was cold and freezing. I am glad I was able to survive in the cold, all the way from Washington, D.C. to Muncie, Indiana and Chicago it was very cold.

Well, Americans keep their pets indoors. I knew about that but what surprised me is the way they treat the pets, they are treated like children. In Muncie I spent most of my time studying the relationship between my family and their pets. They were close friends, especially the dog called Lilly. At first I thought it is because they are an old couple but Mr. and Mrs. Robbey told me that they always have a wonderful dog in their house and they like dogs a lot. They knew the characteristics of each pet in the house from Lilly the dog and Jack and Peter the cats.

Shocking experiences as well, I could not believe that some Americans thought that Africa is one country with different languages. They thought we were not living a civilized life. Some asked us if we have fancy malls for shopping, television, schools, hospitals, cars, etc. They asked how do we manage to walk from home to school with the wild and dangerous animals. This gave me a clear picture that they do not know anything about Africa. After we have explained to them how Africa is they longed to come and see the beautiful places we have. They said they were afraid of the animals they thought were all over the place.

I went to church with my family in Muncie one of the Sunday's and I could not believe what I saw and heard. They do not have a specific religion and during the service they do not read any scripture. I was amazed when they sang the song "We Are Walking In The Light Of God" in Zulu. This church is a union of all religions anybody can think of, that includes, Christianity, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhism, and if you are not a believer you are free to join them.

Likes about the U.S.:

American people are friendly, they were always smiling at us even in the streets. My host family treated me like their own child and they showed me love. I like the idea of bringing children together like the Boys and Girls Club in Muncie, Indiana. The children come together after school, get food, do their homework and play, then their parents fetch them from there and go home. Moreover, the Second Food Harvest is nice, people donate food to be given to the less privileged.

What can improve:

I think the American people should improve their knowledge about Africa. It really feels good when we know that they know something about our continent. Reduce the rate of smoking. A lot of people in Chicago smoke in public which is dangerous to everyone. 

...concentrates on the joy.

We have to choose joy and keep choosing it. –Henri JM Nouwen

I sometimes forget to find joy in my everyday. I must honestly admit that I do not do a very good job seeking it, I sometimes selfishly feel like it should just appear. It's easy for me to get caught up in the hum drum of my life- the dirty clothes, the excessive carrying of bags and backpacks, the hot sun, the long walks, showerless days, laundry, nighttime bugs, or public transport. See? Where is the joy in that? 

In the month of May we have planted 21 gardens out of 29 finished gardens. When we began our garden projects in March I told Sean I would be ecstatic about 5, thinking I was "pushing it". Additionally, we have been told repeatedly that the gardens are doing wonderfully and July can't come fast enough for them to show them off once again to us.

The library project at the primary school is underway, with a fresh coat of paint and 3 murals almost completed. We have library club on Wednesday afternoons. Students run to library club now. Last Wednesday 53 children spent the afternoon painting their designs on the tables. No paint was spilled on uniforms. This week students will be building library benches. Next week 1,000+ age appropriate books will arrive. 

Tuesday morning we visited the Neighborhood Care Point in Mapatsenvuku to give out handmade teddy bears from the Mother Bears Project to 25+ children under the age of 5. Yvonne, the teacher, has finally been able to break ground on a building after 4 years of working and waiting for a sponsor. 

Tuesday afternoon, after a long delayed grant process, 20 hardworking, intelligent women received 100 crates and 35 bags of feed to grow their chicken co-operative business. Early in the week they were granted rights to land in order to establish a permanent place to farm. A process that usually takes years and usually much longer for women.

Our sisi was accepted into a university. It rained 2 days last week. Babe learned how to write a business plan and design a cash flow. We added two new recipes to our rotation of dinners. 

I can't speak much to the bugs, public transport or laundry but there is so much joy to be found in my dirty clothes because they are covered in dirt and paint. Backpacks full of bears are worth the long walks for such sweet smiles. They say your hair is healthier if you don't wash it everyday and the hot sun is becoming less invasive as it becomes winter. I find joy in these moments, these places, these people, this life. It isn't hard to find it, I just need to remember to choose it. 

I hope the pictures below bring you joy today and you find joy even in the hum drum days this week. 

... Is shared.

"Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Norman Macewan

Our guest blogger is Sean’s Mom, Chris, who came for a visit along with Evan, Sean’s twin brother:

 We visited one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World … we spotted 4 of Africa’s Big 5 game animals … we climbed to the peak of a mountain which legends tell is the site of King Solomon’s Mines … we accumulated 4 passport pages full of stamps … but BY FAR the best and most fulfilling part of our trip to Africa was finding Sean and Grace there. As you know, our precious son and daughter-in-law/twin brother and sister-in-law are PCVs serving in the tiny Kingdom of Swaziland since June 2015. 

Sean and Grace have been wonderful communicators since they left the USA. They have blogged “This Life of Ours …”, written notes, emails and texts, passed along photos and newsletters, and managed regular phone calls from halfway across the world despite lousy internet and major time differences. For 3 weeks they invited us into their lives in their newest home and shared everything – families, language, food and water, culture, work, play, church – they even shared their pee bucket! We witnessed them working hard and loving well and as a result, we gained perspective and new context for all their communications. The day-to-day happenings of their “Swazi-life” mean so much more now and we feel honored to have had the experience. We are so very grateful!

Our sweet “children” introduced us to family. Sean and Grace’s tiny hut is actually quite spacious and they have made it home with her creative colorful touch and his skillful ingenuity. They divide chores and responsibilities and respect each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Job well done “Team Collins”! The Shabangu and Dlamini families are every bit as special as Sean and Grace have said. Make Shabangu has a huge heart (and huge pigs) and she is most definitely worthy of being our children’s Mom while they are so far away! I get the distinct feeling of “entertaining angels unaware” in her presence. Babe Dlamini is an affable family patriarch and proud nkhosi (of the king) countryman – he taught me so much about his heritage in such a short time. They are all wonderful people who we will never forget.

Our gracious hosts included us in worship. Again I am astounded at how big our God is and am thankful for the community of believers sharing truth and love in the tiny block church at the end of a dirt path in KaLanga.  Here, praise music echoes joy. Pastor Saul preaches and prays (entirely in English) passionately about living “all in” Christ. The words of the old hymn come to mind: “Blessed be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above”.

                With pending projects and deadlines, these two diligent volunteers incorporated us in their work. I could go on and on about Peace Corps projects – it is mind-boggling how much has already been accomplished. Sipho and Siphiwe have learned the language and immersed themselves into the culture of their community. The results are that they are known and respected, developing long-lasting relationships, and being accepted into everyday work and activities. To their credit there are also 24 homesteads with new permagardens, each with a grey-water filter for sustainability; a refurbished library at St. Paul’s Primary School with an active Library Club and well over a thousand new age-appropriate books due to arrive next month; on-going HIV/AIDS education with weekly pickup basketball games thrown in; a productive chicken co-op; teddy bears for children to cuddle during clinic visits; and 1 of 25 playgrounds coming to fruition in the very near future. Sean and Grace work hard and efficiently. Their passion for the Swazi people and their PC projects is positively remarkable! It is truly inspiring to have shared this glimpse of their “jobs” and yes, most definitely, I am a very proud Momma.  Evan (aka Speed Tech PC) was able to install Windows 10 as well as provide much needed support to the high school computer lab. During a visit to the SOS Health Clinic I met 2 amazing nurses and a pregnant Mom (my first maternal exam since nursing school 30+ years ago). Eish! Hopefully attempts at encouraging our professional counterparts in Swaziland were successful because they too were inspiring to watch at work.

We also played together … a lot! We talked tirelessly and laughed and cried as we discovered history, enjoyed nature, and tasted unknown meats together. We were drenched by the powerful mist on both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides of Victoria Falls. We hiked tough trails to Sheba’s Breasts and Nyonyane Mountain and blazed our own path between rock cairns of Mahamba Gorge. Swaziland’s dramatic landscape is beautiful and saturated with color despite the terrible drought and we were privileged to get our feet very dirty. With Evan as our expert driver (he quickly mastered driving on the left, maneuvering around cows, pedestrians, speed bumps, khumbis, and buses), Sean as our uncanny navigator (that map in his head is extensive), and a whole host of knowledgeable safari guides, we visited the country’s 3 Big Game Parks – Hlane, Mkhaya, and Mlilwane. Evan and I had a wonderful 3-day camp out in Kruger National Park, SA as well. We got up close and personal with amazing wildlife – rhino, giraffe, zebra, elephant, lion, hyena, waterbuck, wildebeest, water buffalo, crocodile, nyala, birds, warthog, hippo, impala and a variety of antelope. We learned to watch wildlife comfort zones and identify the impala’s noisy mating call.  Our friendly competition of naming new baby rhinos and giraffes was entertaining. We admired a myriad of authentic craftsmen and artists at work as well as their lovely wares. We sang and we danced and the Collins brothers kicked Swazi-style (or attempted to I should say). We were awestruck by radiant rainbows and picturesque sunsets. We packed a lot of playing in to our time together and I think we all have plenty of memorable storytelling material to share for many a campfire to come.

I get great satisfaction from carefully planning and researching our travel destinations, but this time Sean and Grace did most of the prep work and I hoped and prayed for a time of encouragement and refreshment for them with Evan and me there. I think my hope came true … and we were refreshed too! As a traveler I have learned to be flexible and expect change. Sean is 30 pounds lighter, Grace glows with a new tan … I knew to expect that. I expected changes more than “skin deep” too but you never really know what you’re gonna’ get. American writer Henry Miller said, “One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of seeing things.” At the risk of sounding sappy I’ll end with this: SiSwati names have meanings – Sipho and Siphiwe mean “gift” and “gifted”; Evan was given his siSwati name Sibusiso which means “blessing” by a sweet Hlane hostess. After some careful thought from a Make working in Mkhaya, I was given a siSwati name too – “You must be more than just ‘Make’”, she proclaimed, “Yebo! I name you Sibusiwe, meaning ‘You are blessed/We are blessed’ to have you visit Swaziland.” Perfect! Our visit and all that was shared along the way was truly extraordinary. Yebo! … We are blessed!

 

...is pending.

If "plan A" fails, remember you have 25 letters left. - Henry Guest

Pending…pending…pending. This post has been pending for some time now. Much of our life here with Peace Corps Swaziland is in a pending state. Currently, with two grants in the works for our library and chicken cooperative projects, our pending lifestyle has finally consumed us. It's not such a bad thing really, I mean our patience with all things is growing exponentially, as more and more things hit the pending stage, but there is a small drawback. Eventually, all of the pending is actually happening, and it's usually actually happening when we would be fine for it to remain pending a few days. Let me try to explain using last week as an example.

On Monday of last week Grace and I both received notice that our grants were approved by the small grants committee of PC Swaziland and PC Washington. Each volunteer may have one active grant at a time so Grace’s is a grant for the KaLanga Women’s Chicken Farming Cooperative, and mine is for library renovations at St. Paul’s Primary School, but I must add that Grace wrote both grants. She has grant writing and monitoring and evaluation gift, and I have a facilitating trainings gift, we’re a good team if I may say so. Anyways, both grants approved and immediately moved into the pending category of our lives. It takes up to two weeks for the money to actually get to my account for my grant, and it takes up to two weeks for Grace’s grant to get posted on the PC’s fundraising website. (Hence why Grace uses the term grant reluctantly, she prefers “monitored fundraising”) So, it's Monday and we already have two pending projects. We need to paint the library whilst the primary school is on break, but with the grant pending, painting is pending. We need to deliver 100 poultry transport crates to the Co-op before the chickens reach full maturity in the next 2-3 weeks but with the grant pending, delivery is pending. We also have a very successful permagardening project still underway. We officially finished all of the training sites last week and now, pending completion of each caregivers own permagarden, delivery of seeds, seedlings, and buckets is pending. As you can see, much of our life is pending.

 What happens when pending moves to actually happening is a source of much stress and excitement in our lives. As many of you know, we were set to meet my mom and brother for a vacation to Victoria Falls,in the midst of all the pendingness (Yes I made up that word). We will be in and out of the country and our community intermittently over the next three weeks, but with the expectation that pending will move to actually happening in that same time frame, it's been exciting and stressing to build-in pending work days to our vacation. On Thursday of last week, we were incredibly happy we did build-in some pending workdays as we bought seedlings and buckets for 3 gardens to plant over the weekend. After planting those three we had already made a plan to plant 5 more when we return to Swaziland next week. Pending to actually happening. We have time allotted to paint our library on two weekends depending on when our grant money moves from pending to actually happening. We have several times identified where we’ll be passing through Manzini and able to place our order and  setup delivery for poultry crates depending on when pending moves to actually happening. 

This blog post has now been pending for 4 days as we’ve explored Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Zambia, but it's time for it to actually happen I think. We’re headed back to Swaziland eagerly anticipating the sudden rush of things actually happening.